Private refreshment bar



Jul 18, 1939. c. HARDY 2,166,633 X PRIVATE REFRESHMENT BAR Filed March20,1957 6 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Charles Hardg BYV 2 A1TORN EYS July18, 1939. c. HARDY PRIVATE REFRESHMENT BAR Filed March 20, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 -INVENTOR Charles Hardg BY I ATTORNEYS Patented July 18,1939 PATENT OFFICE PRIVATE REFRESHMENT BAR Charles Hardy, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Application March 20,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a refreshment bar for home use, and moreparticularly to such a bar having an ash receiver built therein.

The primary object of my invention is to generally improve private orhome refreshment bars. In accordance with more particular features andobjects of the invention, the bar is made with a preferably cylindricalenclosed cabinet having a table-like top thereover, a part of the wallof the cabinet being openable to expose superposed circular shelvestherein, the said shelves being rotatablymounted for ready access tobottles, glassware, or the like, disposed at any point thereon.

A further object of my invention is to combine an attractive,convenient, and capacious ash receiver with the bar. In accordance withmore specific objects and features of the invention, the top of the baris provided with a decorative ash tray at the center thereof. A readilyremovable ash receiver of substantial depth is located beneath the ashtray, and the ash tray is provided with openable means for dropping thecontents thereof into the ash receiver. The ash receiver is itselfpreferably housed within a tubular bearing or receptacle, and thepreviously mentioned circular shelves are rotatable about the tubularbearing and ash receiver.

Still further objects of my invention center about the constructionalfeatures of the bar, and without going into detail at this time it maybe briefly said that these features lead to the production of a strong,sturdy, rigid structure with a sound-deadened top, the said top being sosecured in place that no bolts or fastening means are exposed on thesurface thereof despite the fact that to a considerable extent thestrength of the Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a refreshment barembodying features of my invention, the bar being shown with the cabinetdoor open;

Fig. 2 is a section taken in elevation through the bar, as indicated bythe section line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 3-3 ofFig. 1;

1937, Serial No. 131,989

Fig. 4 is an inverted horizontal section taken in the plane of the line4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section taken in the plane of the line 55of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is explanatory of the door detent and table mounting; and

Fig. 7 is a section at the bottom end of a tie rod.

The refreshment bar is preferably though not necessarily cylindrical inform. Such a bar is illustrated in the drawings, and referring to Fig. 1it will be seen that the bar comprises a cylindrical cabinet I! having acircular table-like top l4 of larger diameter mounted above saidcabinet. The top I 4 is preferably provided with a raised peripheralrail I6 for protectively retaining glassware, bottles, or the like onthe table top. A substantial part l8 of the cabinet wall I2 acts as adoor which is openable to expose the interior of the cabinet. Within thecabinet, I provide a plurality of superposed circular shelves 20, 22,and 24, the said shelves being rotatably mounted for ready access to anypart thereof. The shelves 22 and 24 are preferably given a diameteralmost equal to that of the interior of the cabinet, and, for safety,may be upwardly flanged, as indicated at 2B. The shelf 20 is smaller indiameter than the other shelves, and is preferably provided with aseries of radial slots 28 for receiving stemmed glassware or the like.The decorative motif of the cabinet may be completed by the provision ofa miniature simulated foot-rail 30 at the bottom of the cabinet, and avertical hand-rail 32 on the door. The door is provided with a lock 34.

An ash tray 36 is located at the center of top l4 and is provided withmanually operable means 38 for dropping the contents thereof into an ashreceiver of substantial depth, located therebeneath. The shelves 20, 22,and 24 are preferably fixedly mounted on a center hub structure, and itwill be noted that the upper part 40 of the hub structure is enlargedrelative to the lower part 42, thus adapting the same to fit around theash receiver.

Considering the arrangement in greater detail and referring to theremaining figures of the drawings, the top H is made of sheet metal. Itis reinforced at its peripheral edge by a stout metallic hoop 44, andthe peripheral portion of top I4 is bent downwardly at 46, inwardly at48, and upwardly at around hoop 44. The rail I6 is preferably ellipticalin section, as is best shown in Fig. 5, because this gives the same amodern streamline appearance without sacrificing any substantial part ofthe useful area of the table top, even though the rail is madesubstantial in dimension for strength. It also improves the appearanceof the bar because it may be chromium-plated, incontrast with the topand cabinet which are finished in ebony or the like or to simulate wood.The rail is spaced from the top by spacers or balls 52 and is secured tothe top by screws 54 which pass upwardly through the top I4 and arescrewed into the rail I6. In this way no fastening means for the railare exposed or visible.

The bottom 56 of the cabinet is also made of sheet metal and isreinforced at its periphery by a stiff metallic hoop 58. The sheet metalof bottom 56 is bent upwardly, inwardly, and downwardly around the hoop,as will be evident from inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawings. The sidewall I2 of the cabinet is made of sheet metal and is secured at itslower end to bottom 56 and hoop 58. The decorative rail 30 is ellipticalin cross-section like the top rail I6, and is similarly spaced from thecabinet by spherical spacers 60. The rail is mounted in position byscrews 62 which pass through the rail, the spacers, the upwardly turnedflange of the bottom, the reinforce hoop 50, and the side wall I2 of thecabinet. In this way the parts are strongly held in assembled relation,and the cabinet is made exceptionally sturdy and rigid.

The cabinet wall I2 is further reinforced at its upper edge by the useof another stifiening hoop 64. This hoop is disposed directly outsidethe cabinet wall and is supported against downward displacement by aseries of lugs 66 which are struck outwardly from the cabinet wall. Thehoop 64 is of such width and is so positioned as to be spaced downwardlyfrom a disc of sounddeadening material 68 located directly beneath topI4. The spacing is made just enough to receive certain radial straps I6to be described later. The disc or lining 68 may be made of any standardfibrous material such as wallboard, multi-ply wood, or any of a numberof known materials made of agglutinated wood fibre, the only requirementbeing that it have good sound-deadening properties when disposed beneaththe metallic p.

The top and bottom are held in assembled relation with the side wall ofthe cabinet by the use of tie rods extending all the way from the top tothe bottom. However, these tie rods are so mounted as not to passthrough or mar the working surface of top I4. Specifically, in thepresent case I provide three tie rods, 10, 12, and I4. As is best shownin Figs. 4 and 5, the tie rods are anchored at their upper ends toradially disposed metallic straps I6. These straps extend from ash tray36 outwardly to the reinforce hoop 44. At their outer ends 18 beyond theedge of sounddeadening disc 68 they are bent upwardly to the table top.Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the upper end of the tie rodis secured to its corresponding strap.16 by fastening means 80, such asa screw, rivet, or the like. The strap I6 in turn is secured to top I4by bolts 82 at the inner ends and by the screws 54 at the outer ends.Both of these connections are invisible, the screws 54 terminatingwithin guard rail I6, and the heads of bolt 82 being concealed withinthe ash tray structure 36.

At their lower ends, the tie rods pass through bottom 56 and are securedin place by nuts 84 (Fig. 7), the lower threaded ends of the tie rodspreferably being shouldered so that the rods act as true spacers, thatis, they act in compression as well as in tension.

A substantial portion of cabinet wall I2, in this case nearly a fourthof the periphery, is made openable for access to the interior of thecabinet. In the present case the door I8 is hinged, it being made ofsheet metal reinforced by channelshaped pieces of sheet metal 86,preferably welded to the door. The edge 88 of the door is folded orturned inwardly, and is stiffened by the handle 32 which is securedthereto through spacers at 80. The opposite edge of the door isreinforced by a strip 92, and one half of a suitable piano-type hinge 94is bolted between strip 82 and the door, The opposite side of the hingeis bolted between a similar strip 96 and the adjacent edge 88 of cabinetwall I2.

The tie rods I and 12 are located adjacent each edge of the dooropening, and strengthen the same against bending. The tie rod 14 islocated at an opposite point. All of these tie rods are secured to thecabinet wall I2 by a series of anchor straps and loops I00 and I02 (Fig.3), these straps and loops being welded to the cabinet wall at spacedintervals along the tie rods. The cabinet edge I04 at the door openingis folded or turned inwardly to finish the same, and a detent I06 (Fig.3) for lock 34 is formed integrally with a special strap IOI at thecenter of tie rod I0. The door is further provided with top and bottomspring detents to hold the same closed even when not locked; and byreferring to Fig. 6 the nature of the top detent mechanism I05, I01 willbe self-explanatory, it being of conventional type, except that the partI is integral with a strap I03 on tie rod 10. The bottom detent issimilar but inverted.

The cabinet is completed by the addition of feet I 08 (Fig. 2), thesefeet being secured beneath the cabinet by screws IIO, clearly shown inFig. 2.

The ash tray 36 is dish-shaped and secured at its outer edge to adepressed circular shoulder II2 (Figs. 2 and 5) at the center of top I4.Depending from the ash tray is a tubular bearing or receptacle H4. Thebottom II6 of this receptacle is cut away, and accommodates an ashreceiver I20, said ash receiver being readily removable by means of across rod I22 extending diametrically across the same near its upperedge. The central opening in ash tray 36 is preferably blocked by meansof a door or trap I24, the latter being secured at the lower end of arod I26 which is slidable through a collar I23. Collar I28 is formed ona bridge member I30 the ends I32 of which are detachably secured to theash tray by means of key-hole slot connections. The decorative knob 38is mounted on the upper end of draw rod I26. It will be manifest that bypulling knob 38 upwardly, the door or trap I24 is elevated, thuspermitting the contents of ash tray 36 to fall into the ash receiverI20. It

will also be understood that when the ash receiver is to be emptied, itis merely necessary to oscillate bridge I30 slightly, thereby freeingthe same from the tray, whereupon the bridge together with knob 38 anddoor I24 are removed from the tray, and the ash receiver I20 is liftedout by means of cross rod I22. When the ash receiver has been emptied,the parts are replaced in reverse order.

The shelves 20, 22, and 24 are preferably rigidly related to one-anotherto form a single shelf structure which is rotatable as a unit. To thisend, the shelves are mounted on what may for convenience be termed ahub, which hub is itself locked to and rotatable with the shelves.Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that in the present case the hub,generally designated H,

comprises an enlarged upper portion I34 and a smaller-diameter lowerportion I35. The upper portion I34 is made large enough in diameter tofit around the tubular hearing or receptacle H4. The hub might, ofcourse, be continued at its large diameter all the way to the bottom ofthe cabinet, but there is some advantage in reducing its diameter, inthat the shelf storage capacity for bottles is thereby increased.

The upper hub portion I34 is welded or otherwise secured to the topshelf 20. The edge of the latter as well as the edge of each of theslots 28 therein is folded to thicken and round the same. The hub I34 ispreferably provided with antifriction bearings I40, the latter beingdisposed between the receptacle I I4 and hub I34. It will be noted thatseats for the bearings are formed directly in hub I34, so that thebearings are mounted without increased expense and without necessitatingenlargement of the diameter of hub Shelf 22 is formed of sheet metal andis turned upwardly at its peripheral edge to form the guard flange 26.The metal is then turned downwardly to present a rounded thickened edge.The shelf is steadied against tilting, by locking the same securelyagainst the broad bottom surface I42 of hub I34. To this end, a washerI44 is provided beneath shelf 22, and this in turn is locked to the hubI34 by means of a circular nut I46 with spanner holes I45. The lower hubportion I35 is a tube or pipe which extends between and spaces apart theshelves 22 and 24. Shelf 24 is locked against tube I35 by a nut I48.Above the nut, I dispose a large washer and bearing member I50, thussteadying the shelf against tilting. This shelf is further steadiedagainst any possibility of tilting, by the nature of the thrust bearingused to take the load of the entire shelf structure. For this purpose, Iprovide anti-friction bearings I52 which are mounted on a bearing plateI54 disposed at the center of bottom 55 and interlocked therewith byflanges I56. The washer and bearing plate I50 previously referred torests directly on the bearings I52.

It is believed that the construction and operation of my improved homerefreshment bar and ash receiver, as well as the many advantages.thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. Thestructure is compact yet has substantial sturdy capacity for bottles,glassware, and the like. All of the shelf space is instantly accessibleby rotation of the shelf assembly. Because of the anti-frictionbearings, the shelves are rotated silently and with ease. The ash trayis convenient because of the common association of smoking with liquidrefreshment, and the necessity for putting down a cigarette, cigar, orthe like, while mixing a drink. The contents of the ash tray may bedumped out of the way intothe ash receiver, thus avoiding the odor andunsightliness of accumulated stubs and ashes.

' The relatively capacious ash receiver does not add to the bulk of thecabinet because it is housed within the hub of the rotatable shelfstructure.

The structure is assembled by first putting together the shelf assembly,the upper and lower parts of the shelf assembly being locked together bythe tie rod I I8, the upper end of which may be riveted after nut I46 istightened to lock shelf 22 in position. The side wall and the bottom ofthe cabinet are next assembled, whereupon the shelf assembly is placedinto the cabinet from above, the ball bearings at the bottom of thecabinet being interposed in the meantime. Ball bearings I40 at the topof the shelf assembly may be temporarily held in place by the use of aheavy grease. The vertical tie rods and the radial straps 16 are thenadded, following which the sound insulation 68 and the top I 4 are putin place over the radial straps. The receptacle II4 together with thelower lamination of the ash tray structure, is then put in place andsecured by means of bolts passing through the inner ends of the straps.The ash receiver I20, the upper lamination 35 of the ash tray, and thetrap door I24 are then added. At the same time, the outer ends of thestraps are secured to the table top by screws passing through the guardrail I6. This mode of assembly may, of course, be varied to suitvariations in structure.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my inventionin preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in thestructure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention,defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed stationary cylindricalcabinet having a low circular table-like top, a circular rail at theperiphery of said top, said top being larger in diameter than the wallof the cabinet, means securing said top to said cabinet wall withoutmarring the smooth finish of the top, said means being disposed beneathsaid top and extending from a point near the cabinet wall, at which afastening through the top would be disfiguring, to a point beneath thecircular rail, where a fastening is not disfiguring, a substantial partof the cylindrical wall of the cabinet being hinged and openable toexpose the interior of the cabinet, and a plurality of peripherallyupwardly flanged circular shelves rotatably mounted in superposedrelation within the cylindrical cabinet so that any part of said shelvesmay be moved adjacent the door.

2. A refreshment bar and ash receiver comprising an enclosed cabinethaving a side door and a table-like top with an ash tray at the centerthereof, a tubular bearing depending from said ash tray, a removable ashreceiver disposed in said bearing, a hub rotatably surrounding saidbearing at its upper end and resting on the bottom of the cabinet at itslower end, and one or more shelves mounted on said hub and rotatable tobring any portion thereof to the door.-

3. A refreshment bar and ash receiver comprising an enclosed cabinethaving a side door and a table-like top with an ash tray at the centerthereof, a tubular bearing of substantial depth depending from said ashtray, a removable ash receiver disposed in said bearing, a closure insaid ash tray normally covering said ash receiver, optionally manuallymanipulatable means for momentarily opening said closure and therebydropping the contents of the ash tray into the ashreceiver, a rotatablecylindrical hub surrounding said bearing, and one or more shelvesmounted on said cylindrical hub and rotatable to bring any portionthereof to the door.

4. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cylindrical cabinet having atable-like top, a substantial part of the cylindrical wall of saidcabinet being openable to expose the interior of the cabinet, an ashtray at the center of said table, a cylindrical receptacle dependingfrom said ash tray, and one or more circular shelves rotatably mountedin said cabinet about said receptacle.

5. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cylindrical cabinet having acircular table-like top, a substantial part of the cylindrical wall ofsaid cabinet being openable to expose the interior of the cabinet, anash tray at the center of said table, a tubular bearing of substantialdepth depending from said ash tray, a removable ash receiver disposed insaid bearing, a rotatable cylindrical hub surrounding said hearing atits upper end and resting on the bottom of the cabinet at its lower end,and a plurality of circular shelves secured to said hub and adapted tobe rotated therewith.

6. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cylindrical cabinet having acircular table-like top, a substantial part of the cylindrical wall ofsaid cabinet being openable to expose the interior of the cabinet, acircular rail at the periphery of said top, an ash tray at the center ofsaid table, a cylindrical receptacle of substantial depth depending fromsaid ash tray, a removable ash receiver disposed in said receptacle, arotatable cylindrical hub surrounding said receptacle at its upper endand pivoted on the bottom of the cabinet at its lower end, the upperportion of said hub being of larger diameter than the lower portion ofsaid hub in order to fit around the receptacle, and a plurality ofcircular shelves secured to said hub and adapted to be rotatedtherewith.

7. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cylindrical cabinet having atop, an ash tray at the center of said top, a cylindrical receptacle ofsubstantial depth depending from said ash tray, a rotatable cylindricalhub surrounding said receptacle at its upper end and pivoted on thebottom of the cabinet at its lower end, a plurality of circular shelvessecured to said hub and adapted to be rotated therewith, andanti-friction bearings disposed between the receptacle and hub and alsoat the bottom of the cabinet and hub.

8. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cylindrical cabinet having acircular table-like top, a circular rail at the periphery of said top,said top being larger in diameter than the wall of the cabinet, meanssecuring said top to said cabinet wall without marring the smooth finishof the top, said means being disposed beneath said top and extendingfrom a point near the cabinet wall, at which a fastening through the topwould be disfiguring, to a point beneath the circular rail, where afastening is not disfiguring, an ash tray at the center of said table, acylindrical receptacle of substantial depth depending from said ashtray, a removable ash receiver disposed in said receptacle, a rotatablecylindrical hub surrounding said receptacle at its upper end and pivotedon the bottom of the cabinet at its lower end, the upper portion of saidhub being of larger diameter than the lower portion of said hub in orderto fit around the receptacle, a plurality of circular shelves secured tosaid hub and adapted to be rotated therewith, at least one of saidshelves being radially slotted about its periphery and thereby adaptedto receive stemmed glassware, and anti-friction bearings disposedbetween the receptacle and hub and also at the bottom of the cabinet andhub.

9. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cabinet made of sheet metaland having a sheet metal top larger than the cabinet, a piece of fibroussound-deadening and reinforcing material disposed immediately beneaththe top of the cabinet, a rail disposed above the periphery of the topand secured thereto by screws or the like, a part of the wall of thecabinet being openable to expose the interior of the cabinet, a bottomlarger in diameter than the cabinet, a substantial part of thecylindrical wall of the cabinet being openable to expose the interior ofthe cabinet, a circular bottom for said cabinet, a plurality of tie rodsextending between the top and bottom of the cabinet near the wallthereof, one of said tie rods being disposed adjacent each edge of thedoorway, means securing said top to the cabinet without marring thesmooth finish of the top, said means being disposed beneath said top andbeing connected to the upper ends of said tie rods, where a fasteningthrough the top would be disfiguring, said means being attached to thetop at other points where the top is not disfigured, an additional tierod at the middle of the wall of the cabinet, and a plurality ofrotatable circular shelves within the cylindrical cabinet around thecenter tie rod.

11. A refreshment bar comprising an enclosed cylindrical cabinet made ofsheet metal and having a circular sheet metal top larger in diameterthan the cylindrical cabinet, the edge of said top being reinforced by arigid metallic hoop, and

the peripheral portion of the sheet metal top being bent around saidhoop, a circular piece of fibrous sound-deadening and reinforcingmaterial disposed immediately beneath the top of the cabinet, a circularrail disposed above the periphery of the top and secured thereto by aplurality of screws or the like, a substantial part of the cylindricalwall of the cabinet being openable to expose the interior of thecabinet, stiff metallic hoops at the top and bottom ends of thecylindrical cabinet for strengthening and rigidifying the same, acircular bottom for said cabinet, a plurality of tie rods extendingbetween the top and bottom of the cabinet near the wall thereof,metallic straps extending radially beneath the sound-deadeninglamination of the top, the

upper ends of said tie rods being secured to said straps, the outer endsof said straps being secured to the top by the previously mentionedscrews which hold the rail on the topfand a plurality of circularshelves rotatably mounted within the cylindrical cabinet.

12. A refreshment bar and ash receiver comprising an enclosed cabinetmade of sheet metal, a top therefor, an ash tray at the center of thesaid top, a cylindrical receptacle depending from said tray, a part ofthe wall of the cabinet being openable to expose the interior of thecabinet, a bottom for said cabinet, a cylindrical member rotatablysurrounding the aforesaid receptacle, a tie rod extending between thebottom of the member and the bottom of the cabinet, and a plurality ofshelves secured to said member and rotatable therewith, said member andsaid shelves being locked together by the center tie rod,

13. A refreshment bar and ash receiver comprising an enclosedcylindrical cabinet made of sheet metal and having a circular top, anash tray at the center of the said top, a cylindrical receptacledepending from said tray, a substantial part of the cylindrical wall ofthe cabinet being openable to expose the interior of the cabinet, acircular bottom for said cabinet, a plurality of tie rods extendingbetween the top and bottom of the cabinet near the wall thereof, acylindrical member rotatably surrounding the aforesaid receptacle, atiered extending between the bottom of the member and the bottom of thecabinet, and a plurality of circular shelves secured to said member androtatable therewith, said member and said shelves being locked togetherby the center tie rod.

14. A refreshment bar and ash receiver comprising an enclosedcylindrical cabinet made of sheet metal and having a circular sheetmetal top larger in diameter than the cylindrical cabinet, an ash trayat the center of said top, a cylindrical receptacle oi substantial depthdepending from said tray, a circular piece of soundterior of thecabinet, a circular bottom for said cabinet, a plurality of tie rodsextending between the top and bottom of the cabinet, metallic strapsextending radially beneath the sounddeadening lamination of the top, theupper ends of said tie rods being secured to said straps, the outer endsof said straps being secured to the top by the previously mentionedscrews which hold the rail on the top, a cylindrical hub rotatablysurrounding the aforesaid receptacle, and a plurality of circularshelves secured to said hub and rotatable therewith.

15. A refreshment bar and ash receiver comprising an enclosedcylindrical cabinet having a side door and an extensive circulartable-like top with an ash tray at the center thereof, a tubular bearingdepending from said ash tray, an up-- wardly removable cup-likereceptacle of small diameter and substantial depth received axially insaid tubular bearing directly beneath the ash tray, a hub freelyrotatable about said tubular bearing, and a circular shelf mounted onsaid hub for rotation about said tubular bearing within the cabinet.

CHARLES HARDY.

